The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Transferring a Domain to The Website Hoster (a .com or .org)

This guide walks you through the process of transferring your existing .com or .org domain to The Website Hoster. We are an authorised reseller on behalf of Register Domain, an accredited domain registrar partner. This means we manage all the behind-the-scenes communication with the registry on your behalf.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare Your Domain at Your Current Registrar

Before you can initiate the transfer with us, you need to prepare your domain at your current registrar:

• Unlock the domain – The domain must have the clientTransferProhibited status removed. This is done via your current registrar’s control panel or by contacting their support.
• Obtain the EPP/Auth Code – This is a unique authorisation code (also called EPP key or transfer secret) provided by your current registrar. This code proves you own the domain and authorises the transfer. Keep this code safe – you will need to enter it during the transfer process.

You can check your domain’s current status at https://whois.is or https://whois.com/whois

Step 2: Create or Log In to Your Account

If you don’t already have an account with The Website Hoster, you’ll need to register one.Use the following link to register an account:

https://the-website-hoster.com/whmcs/register.php

If you already have an account, simply log in.

Step 3: Initiate the Transfer

1. 1. Log in to your Client Area.
   2. Click on the Domains link in the menu, followed by Transfer Domains to Us .
   3. On the Transfer Domain page, enter your domain name and click the Transfer button. The system will perform a check to see if your domain is eligible for transfer.

Step 4: Check Domain Eligibility

Why would my domain not be available for transfer?

• • For .com or .org domains, ICANN rules prevent a transfer if the domain was registered or previously transferred within the last 60 days.
  • The domain must be unlocked at your current registrar, i.e. the  clientTransferProhibited status must be removed. If your domain is not unlocked, request your domain registrar or service provider to unlock it.
  • Domains that are expired or in redemption status may not be transferable.

If your domain is eligible, click the Continue button.

Step 4: Configure Your Domain Services

On the Domains Configuration page, you will be prompted for the following:

• • If you would like The Website Hoster to host your email and/or website, click on “[No Hosting! Click to Add]”. The package you select will be determined largely by the number of email accounts you need as well as the requirements of your website.
  • Should you be using your own nameservers, you can specify them on this page.

Once you have made your selection, click on Continue.

Step 5: Enter Your EPP/Auth Code

On the next page, you will be prompted to enter the EPP/Auth Code you obtained from your current registrar in Step 1. Enter this code carefully – it is case-sensitive. Once entered, click Continue.

Step 7: Review and Checkout

On the Review & Checkout page, you can review your order. If you wish to add additional services, select Continue Shopping. Otherwise, click on Checkout.

Step 8: Confirm Contact Information and Payment

On the Checkout page, you will be asked to confirm the contact/registrant information for the domain. You can also select your preferred method of payment. Once you have made your selections, click on Complete Order.

Step 9: Payment Confirmation and Initiation

If you opted to add a hosting package to your order, an invoice will be generated which will include a reference number and a list of payment options. Once our accounts department has received confirmation of payment, the transfer of your domain will be initiated. You are welcome to forward confirmation of your payment to billing@the-website-hoster.com. For .com or .org domains, the transfer fee typically adds one year to your domain’s expiration date. So if your domain had 8 months left and you transfer, you end up with roughly 1 year and 8 months. You are not paying twice – you are buying an extra year.

Step 10: Approve the Transfer Email

When the transfer has been initiated, Register Domain (our registrar partner) will send an email to the Registrant Email Address listed in the WHOIS records. This email comes from the new registrar (Register Domain, on our behalf), not from your current registrar.

The email will ask you to confirm that you authorise the transfer. You must click the approval link to authorise the transfer. If you do not respond, the transfer will not proceed.

Step 11: Wait for Transfer Completion

Once you have approved the transfer, the current registrar has 5 calendar days to respond. They can either approve the transfer, deny it for a valid ICANN reason, or do nothing. If they take no action within the 5-day window, the transfer is automatically approved by the registry.

Most transfers complete within 5 to 7 days total.

Step 12: Verify the Transfer

Log into your new registrar dashboard and confirm that the domain appears in your account. Also check the WHOIS status at https://whois.is or https://whois.com/whois – it should no longer show pendingTransfer.  The normal active status is typically ok or active.

Technical Note: Domain Registrar vs. Domain Reseller

The Website Hoster is not a domain registrar. We are an authorised domain reseller of domain registrations on behalf of Register Domain (the accredited domain registrar). When this guide refers to the “registrar,” it means Register Domain, not The Website Hoster.

However, you do not need to deal with Register Domain directly. We manage all communication with them on your behalf. You contact us for domain unlocks, EPP codes, and any transfer support. We handle the rest.

Important: Understanding Domain Transfers vs. Hosting

What Actually Happens When You Transfer Your Domain

When you transfer your domain to The Website Hoster, only the domain registration moves to us. Your domain is now registered with us (through Register Domain), but your website files and email accounts remain on your old hosting provider’s server.

Think of it like changing the ownership of your street address while your house and furniture stay exactly where they are. Your website and emails are still hosted on your old service provider’s server – nothing has physically moved yet.

What This Means for You

• Your website will continue to load from your old hosting provider.
• Your email accounts will continue to function through your old hosting provider.
• You will not experience any downtime to your website or email during the domain transfer itself.

To actually move your website and email to us, you will need our migration service. See the section below for details.

Migration Option 1: cPanel to cPanel Migration (Free)

If you want to move your website and email from your current hosting provider to The Website Hoster, we offer a full migration service. This is completely separate from the domain transfer and is optional.

What We Can Migrate

If your current hosting provider uses cPanel as their control panel, we can migrate your entire account to us at no cost.

What We Require From You

• Your current cPanel login credentials (URL, username, and password).
• Please test your login credentials.

Migration Option 2: Non-cPanel Migrations (Additional Cost)

If your current hosting provider does not use cPanel, we can still migrate your website, but the process is more manual.

Website Migrations (WordPress or Joomla)

If your website is built on WordPress or Joomla, we can migrate it to us at an additional cost. These platforms are well-documented and relatively straightforward to move.

Email Migrations (Tricky – Depends on Format)

Email migrations are trickier and depend heavily on the format your current provider uses. Please note the following:

• IMAP to IMAP: We can often migrate emails using IMAP, but this may take time depending on the volume of emails.
• POP3: If your emails are stored locally (POP3), we may not be able to migrate them from the server. You would need to keep a local backup.
• Proprietary Formats: If your current provider uses a custom or proprietary email system (e.g., Microsoft Exchange, G Suite, or custom webmail), migrating emails is complex. We will need to assess your specific setup.

Contact us to discuss your specific email setup – we will provide a quote and timeline based on your requirements

Technical Note: Domain Registrar vs. Reseller

The Website Hoster is not a domain registrar. We are an authorised reseller of domain registrations on behalf of Register Domain (the accredited ICANN registrar). When this guide refers to the “registrar,” it means Register Domain, not The Website Hoster.

However, you do not need to deal with Register Domain directly. We manage all communication with them on your behalf. You contact us for domain unlocks, EPP codes, and any transfer support. We handle the rest.

Domain Transfer FAQs